Guys can you tell me what the top end of the 19m is like for your weight ?

I am 85 kilos and years ago had the 12m Flysurfer warrior which i liked but at times found problematic. In higher winds it was a bit of a nitemare landing. Once the wind hit 20 knts + the kite became a real handfull. this may have been down to in-experience at the time but i remember a squall coming in when i was on holiday in Tarifa, a bridle line snapped and my kite went in to a death spiral and i got spanked !!

Just wondered what your opinions are on the latest Flysurfers as if the ranges on these kites have improved i would certainly consider one in the future/i used to love the hangtime off my 12m warrior and that was'nt a particularly good jumping kite.

At 85 kilos on the speed 2 19m what would be a realistic top end in knots. ??

I think the best word to describe the top end is "surprising" - easily enough to overlap with a 12m bow, or a 10m with 2 boards. And the hangtime gets really sick in that range. No surprise that's how they won that competition, although for freestyle you'll probably want something smaller once the wind gets good and solid.

The leash is different from the old kind - it's a front-line safety that flags the kite. It's a little more messy than the older double-rear-line leash, but it kills the power much better. You'll still have 19m of fabric hanging off the leash like with any kite, but it won't be lofting you.

Big Kahuna - not sure what the deal was for you, you don't give any explanation except to say it sucked. Certainly gusty/lully light wind is the worst of all possible worlds and lower-aspect kites might provide steadier power, but I can't help but think there's more to your story that we don't know.

Trouty, I've got a Contra 14 and a SA-19 and I have a noticeably more comfort (depower) in higher winds with the S-19 than I do with the Contra. Sure do like how fast the Cab turns in comparison however.

Question on the fabric of the regular Flysurfer fabric vs. the SA2 fabric. Giving serious consideration about ordering a Pulse 2 with that stuff for backcountry access with snowkites. How much weight savings is there? Is it worth the extra $$? Does the fabric change the performance of the kite much? How so?

the silver arrow fabric almost halfs the weight of the kite so is much lighter, it is also suppose to be 25% better in low winds so they say but in all honestly the fabric doesnt last as long and you lose top end of the kite. also i found it not to be that much better in low winds, it glides slightly better in super low winds as lighter kite but thats about it. if i was you would buy the normal fabric, the extra 400 odd euro they asking for is a nice big spleene door and you will be laughing

FS recently changed the type of fabric they use for "Silverarrow" versions - the new stuff is just a hair heavier (27g vs 24g?) but supposed to be almost as durable as the standard fabric. They compensate for the weight difference by using the special fabric on the entire kite, whereas before they had to use standard fabric for certain structural elements. The net is that the overall weight of the new version is almost identical to the original SA.

For water use and heavier riders, the standard fabric works fine. For snow, I would love a lightweight version of the 15m S2, but don't get enough days in those conditions to justify the price premium.

Just come back from a weeks kiting in Egypt. Took an 19m SA and 10m Pulse 2. Got five days kiting thanks to the SA whereas the others at my centre only managed four during the time I was there. Rearly enjoyed the session I had by myself as I was able to crank upwind to the big lagoon and then spend the time boosting with amazing float and soft landings. I was surprised I managed to get upwind so well as the twin tip I took with me is not noted for its upwind performance. Top end of the 19m is a good 20kts as in the past I have been out well powered on my 10m and a friend has still been out on his SA. The other big advantage for me when travelling is the light weight of the kite.

Comparing the old Flysurfer Warrier to the moderm Flysurfer kites is a bit like comparing a Wipika two line Classic to the modern LEI's. I normally fit the Full Depower System (FDS) to my kites so I can land them by myself in any wind. With very little rest pull I can tie the leash to my board, dig the nose of the board into the sand a little and then recover the kite. In respect to the SA I prefer to land it this way when overpowered as it is less likely to get damaged.

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